Last Night and Today, RMWF 2012

Last night Rocky Mountain Festival attendees were treated to a combined event of literary readers and Tuesday open mike for singer-songwriters and comedians at COHO Coffee House. The group started at about 20, and swelled to about 40+, as the evening progressed. Because the two events were combined,they used the format of one singer- songwriter followed by a literary reader. For some great pictures of the event, check the RMWF April Facebook page.

I sat at a table with some of the Minnie Howard Writers Group. They meet the 1st (workshop) and 3rd (program) Saturdays, 4 pm at Marshall Public Library. I went to the program last month and it was very interesting: Dr. Wayne Minshall discussed his new book Wilderness Brothers and the self publishing process. I learned a lot. The April program will be on poetry, in honor of National Poetry Month. We all got different beverages and found the brewing tea pot very interesting and fun. It brews loose tea and you put it over your tea cup to empty the tea. I recommend trying it out if you like tea--they also have great coffee and other beverages.

The event opened with Doug, a singer-songwriter. Then Joslyn Eikenburg from the Minnie Howard Writers Group read a short nonfiction piece about her wedding in China.Carly Beebee then made the RMWF announcements. She gave the schedule (see the blog entry below), mentioned that Idaho Writers Guild is having an Idaho Writers and Readers Rendezvous May 3-6. check their web page for more information, mentioned the Literary Pavers in Old Town--a good side activity would be to walk around and read the poems on them. And then she read a poem from Zach Vineyard (coincidentally he has a paver on the southeast corner of Arthur and Whitman.) I would like to add that in case of rain, you can also go to Marshall Public Library and read the indoor Poetry Wall, a collection of poems by Pocatello Area residents.

Then there was another singer-songwriter, Dave. (Sorry about first names only--that was how people introduced themselves.) Then Carly Beebe read one of her poems. Janice Anderson, also of Minnie Howard Writers Group read her interesting prose piece, "Of War, Babies, and Suburbia." She was followed by singer-songwriter Curtis Thompson. Then came Travis with a story, music by Jared and David, also known as Super Heroes in Time. They have a song about COHO Coffee House. They were followed the comedian Duncan Thompson.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Portneuf Valley Brewing, 615 S. 1st., 7 pm. This will be a treat of some of Pocatello's best singer-songwriters and poets. Come early and treat yourself to some great food--their web page connects to their menu.